Packer for use in wells



'.Iuly 5J, 1938,

l D. l-lANr-:s-

PACKER FOR USE IN WELL'S Filed June 12, 1937 BY ATTORNEY v July 5, 116381.v D HANES t 2,122,742

udma/FOR USE 1N WELLS Filed Jne 12, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. l Dean Hanes ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY g/QUJ ATTORNEY* Filed June 12, 1937 July 5, 1938.- D. HANl-:s

y PACKER FOR US IN WELLS .4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June l2, 1.937

INVENTOR.

Bean Hnes By 6 A TTORNEY 'Patented July .5, 1938 UNITED ASTATES melma Foa USE 1N WELLS Dean Hanes, Duncan, Okla., assignor to Hallilurton Oil Well Cementing Company, Duncan,

kla.

Application June 12, 1937, Serial No. 147,913

" 6 Claims.'

This invention relates to apparatus adapted for use in oil wells or the like, and more particularly A to packers and means for releasably securing the same to the casing of a well.

5 It is o ften desirable to x and seal a valve or other structure to the casing of an oil well. For example, where a well is to be cemented by forcing cement slurry under pressure down into the well through drill pipe or tubing and into` the formation of the well, particularly in connection with what is known as a squeeze job, it is desirable to provide means at the bottom of the tubing which can be xed to the casing, thus holding the tubing in place against the fluid pressure in the' cement. It is also desirable in such a case to provide a packer or other sealing means around the tubing so as to prevent the passage of cement slurry upwardly between the tubing and the casing.

It. is an object of the vpresentv invention to devise novel means for temporarily setting a packer on tubing or drill pipe in a well, secure the packer in'place and hold the same against movement with respect to the casing.

novel means for removing a packer and securing means fastened to the casing in an oilwell.

It is an another object of the invention to devise apparatus for retaining cement or other fluid under high iluid pressure in place in an oil well and to so arrange the apparatus that it can be readily removed from the well after it has accomplished' its purpose.

It is a further object of the invention to devise a cement retaining assembly in which slips are employed in connection with a packer and in which the fluid pressure of the cement is transmitted to the slips in' such a way that the slips tend to firmly engage the casing as a result of this pressure.

It is still another object to devise a novel method of cementing a well or of securing retaining' means ltherein. Other objects and advantages reside in certain 45' novel features of the arrangement and method, as willl be more apparent from a consideration of' the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of a cement retaining assembly `constructed in accordance with the principles oi the invention, the figure illustrating the apparatus within the casing with the various parts in the relative positions which they occupy while being lowered into the well;

It is a further object of the invention to provide i (Cl. 16B-12) Figure 1A is a vertical view, partially in crosssection, of a fragment of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, the section being 'taken at right angles to that shown in Figure 1.

lFigure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the cement retaining assembly shown in Figure 1, Figures 1 and 2 being contiguous;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention, the parts being shown in the relative positions which they occupy while the apparatus is being lowered into the well;

Figure 4 is a vertical vcross-sectional view of the lower part of the apparatus shown in Figure 3, Figures 3 and 4 being contiguous;

Figure :5 is Aa diagrammatical vertical crosssectional view in quarter section of the apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4, the diagram illustrating the relative positions of the parts when the apparatus is set on the casing;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating the relative positions of the parts after the cement has been placed beneath the apparatus and during the Washing out 'operation which follows the placing of the cement; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6 but illustrating the relative positions of the parts as the retaining assembly is released from the casing of the well.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the casing of an oil well is there illustratedat il. The cement retaining assembly is lowered into the casing I I by means of a tubing or drill pipe designated I2, the lower e'nd of this pipe being screw threaded or otherwise secured to a mandrel I3 which is used to operate the packer and slips as will be described hereinafter.

Slidably mounted upon the mandrel near its upper end is a ring I4 to which drag springs I5 of conventional design are secured. The lower end of the drag springs I5 are connected to a swivel ring I6 which is provided with an upstanding sleeve I1 provided with a J-slot I8 which coacts with pins I9 integral with the mandrel I3 to hold the ring I6 in a dennite and fixed position on the mandrel until thepins I9 are rotated out of the J-slots I8.

Swiveledwithin the ring I6 is a collar 20 to which links 2| are pivoted. The lower end of the links are connected to an upper set of slips or casing engaging means 22v provided with teeth extending in an upwardly and outwardly direction. The teeth engage the casing in such a way that when pressure is exerted on the slips from below they will 'not slide upon the casing. 'The inner faces of the slips 22 are inclined sov as to A slide upon a wedge body 23. In accordance with known practice the slips 22 are preferably dovetailedt the wedge body 23. The arrangement is such ,that as the wedge body moves upwardly with respect to the slips they will be forced outwardly to engage the casing and when the wedge body is lowered with respect to the slips they will be drawn inwardly radially so as to disengage the casing. The wedge body 23 is screw;r Gthreaded upon a threaded sleeve or actuating member 24 `which is slidably mounted upon the mandrel I3 but keyed or splined thereto by some suitable means such as the key I3 which is'positioned within a slot 24 in the mandrel, as shown ln Figure lA so that it must rotate with the mandrel. The sleeve 24 is initially connected to the mandrel by a number of shearpins one of which is shown at 25 near the upper end of the threaded sleeve 24. These shear pins hold the sleeve 24 and the wedge body 23, and hence the slips 22, in the positions shown in Figure l during the time that the apparatus is being lowered into the well so that there will be little chance for the slips to accidentally engage the casing at some point other than the depth at which it is desired' to set the same. f

The threaded sleeve 24 not only vactuates the wedge body 23 upon rotation but also actuates second and lower wedge body 26 which .coacts with a lower set of slips 21 similar in design to the slips 22 but having their teeth directed downwardly so that when they engage the casing they will resist downward movement.

' It will be seen from an inspection of Figure 1 that the sleeve 24 is provided with two separate threads. the wedge body 23 may be left hand threads and the lower threads which coact with the wedge body 26 may be right hand threads. Thus, if the bodies 23 and 26 are held against rotation and the sleeve 24 is turned to the right, as viewed from the top, by rotation oi the mandrel I3, the wedge bodies 23 and 26 will be drawn toward or approach each other. To insure that the wedge bodies 23 and 26 operate in the proper manner upon this rotation, a number of vertically extending rods 28 are screw threaded into the top of the wedge body 26 and pass upwardly through holes in the upper wedge body 23.

The lower set of slips 21 have their lower ends dovetailed into a member 29 which constitutes the upper shoe of the packer 39. The shoe 29 is of suflicient length to provide a space in the interior thereof through which a collar 3| iixed upon the mandrel I3 may move. The collar 3l is so designed, however, that when the mandrel is lifted as during certain phases of the operation of the apparatus, it will engage the lower end ofthe threaded sleeve 24 lifting this sleeve and hence the wedge 26, slips 21 and upper shoe 29 of the packer to raise the same. In this connection, it should be noted that the dovetail between the wedge body 26 and the slips 21 is provided with a stop so that when the wedge 26 is lifted a certain distance above the slips 21, further upward movement of the wedge will lift the slips. The upper shoe 29 of the packer is provided with suitable washout ports one of which is shown at 32.

The lower shoe 33 for the packer is provided with an upwardly extending sleeve 34 within the packer but on the outside of the mandrel, This The upper threads which coact withsleeve 34 terminates at its upper end at a point inside .and concentric with the upper shoe 29.

The sleeve 34 is connected to the mandrel I3 at vthis point by means of a set of shear pins one of which is shown at 35. Due to these pins, the

packer will be held extended longitudinally .while the apparatus is being lowered into the well, the lower shoe being held by the pins 35 while the upper shoe is held by a system of connections through the slips 21, the wedge body 26, the sleeve 24 and the shear pins 35.

'I'he lower end of the mandrel I3 extends downwardly into the interior of the sleeve 34 on the lower shoe and is provided with suitable collars 36 for mounting packing materialA 31 thereon. The diameter of the collars 36 and the packing 31 is just sufficient to form a tight seal within the portion of reducedfdiameter at the upper end oi the sleeve 3 4. 'Ihe packing 31 may' thus seal suitable washout ports 39 in the sleeve 34 during certain phases of the operation of the apparatus.

Beneath the packing 31 the mandrel is provided with a number of openings or ports 39 so as to allow-huid to flow from the mandrel into the sleeve` 34. The lower end of the mandrel is provided with a nipple 46 which is connected to the stem 4I of a valve 42 by means of shear pins 43. IIhe valve 42 is adapted to seat upon the lower shoe 33 under the iniluence of a coil spring 44. Upon pulling up on the mandrel the pins 43 will shear, Vprovided the shoe 33 is held stationary. 'Ihe mandrel will then be free to ride up and `down on the valve stem 4I and the valve will operate independently of the mandrel.

To operate the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is lowered into the well with the parts in the relative position shown. The mandrel may then be rotated to turn the pins I9 out of the J-slots I8 and then pulled upwardly so that the pins I9 move above the upper end of the sleeve I1. The drag springs I5 prevent the sleeve I1 from-rotating while turning out of the J-slots. With the parts in this position the mandrel is pulled upwardly, causing the wedge body 23 to.

move the slips 22 out into engagement withl the casing II. When the slips engage, the wedge body 23 cannot move any farther upwardly and since the wedge body is screw threaded onto the sleeve 24 the pins 25 will shear. At the same time thevpins 43 connecting the bottom of 'the mandrel to the valve stem 4I will shear.

After the pins 25 and.43 have sheared, tension in the drill pipe is transmitted through the shear pins 35 to the lower shoe of the packer, raising this shoe` to expand and set the packer. At the same time this force is transmitted through the packer to the upper shoe which forces the lower set of slips 21 out into engagement with the casing. As this stress is increased the pins 35 shear andthe mandrel' moves upwardly until the upper collar 36 abuts against the upper end of the .sleeve 33. Maintaining the drill pipe in tension thus maintains the packer and slips in set position and cement slurry or other huid may then be pumped down through the drill pipe and mandrel into the space below the lower shoe 33 of the packer, the valve d2 opening under the iiuid pressure to allow the passage of fluid therethrough. Y -v Ater the cement slurry or other uid hasbee'n placed below the assembly as just described, the pressure on the pumps at the surface isl relieved, thus allowing the .valve 42 to seat. TheLpressure of the ilud below the assembly then holds` this ward movement of the apparatus.

valve shut and also holds the'packer and the slips in set position on the casing.

Especially in cementlng operationsit is important to provide means for washing out above the packer and around the slips to insure against cementlng the apparatus to the casing. The washing out operation may be accomplished at this time by lowering the mandrel I3 so as to provide for the passage of lfluid through the openings 39 in the lower part of the mandrel, around the packing 31, through the ports 38 at the upper end of the sleeve 34 and out through the ports 32 in the upper shoe 29. It should be noted here that in setting the packer the sleeve 34 moves upwardly sufficiently with respect td ever, it is felt that the packer has-not `leaked any cement, the drill pipe\may remain connected onto the mandrel until the cement has hardened.

If the drill pipe has been disconnected from the mandrel it will be necessary to again lower it and connect it onto the mandrel to remove the assembly from the well.

In order to release the slips 22 and 21 from the casing all that is necessary is-that the mandrel I3 be rotated to the right when viewed from the top. This rotation will be transmitted to the sleeve 24, drawing the wedge bodies 23 and 26 toward each other as previously described, which will in turn draw the slips inwardly radially since they are dovetailed to the wedge bodies.

Since the sleeve 24 is free to slide up and down upon the mandrel I3, during the initial rotation of the mandrel the wedge body 26 does not move upwardly but the sleeve 24 and the upper wedge body 23 move downwardly until the sleeve 24 abuts against the ring 3|. When this action takes place, the wedge body 26 has to move upwardly. 'I'he sets of slips 22 and 21 are thus released from the casing successively. After the wedge body 26 is moved upwardly a certain distance it pulls on the slips 21 upwardly and this force is transmitted to the upper shoe 28 of the packer so that the packer is disengaged from the casing by pulling upon the upper shoe. The entire apparatus may then be removed from the well.

In the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2'just described, it will be noted that two sets of slips are employed for holding the apparatus against movement either up or down in the casing. It is within the purview of the invention to dispense with the lower set of slips and utilize the uid pressure of the cement or other fluid pumped below the assembly to prevent down- Such an arrangement is shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings and diagrammatlcally in Figures 5, 6 andv 7.

Referring rst to the structural arrangement of this embodiment of the invention, it will be' seen that in Figures 3 and 4 certain parts of the apparatus are similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2. The 'casing of the well,

the drill pipe, the mandrel of the apparatus and the drag spring assembly, J-slot connection and slips are identical with that shown in Figure 1 and are similarly designated.. Thelwedge body 45 of Figure 3 is similar to the wedge body`23 of Figure 1 except that it does not have holes therein to accommodate rods like those shown at 28 in Figure 1. The wedge body 45 is screw threaded upon a sleeve' 46 splined to the mandrel I3 and this sleeve is connected to the mandrel by means of shear pins 25 as in Figure 1. The lower end of the threaded sleeve 46 is swiveled upon the upper shoe 41 of the packer 48 by a suitable ball bearing arrangement shown at 49. A suitable sleeve 50 is made integral with the wedge body 45 and passes downwardly therefrom over the swivel connecting members as illustrated in Figure 1 to protect the threads upon the sleeve 46 and to prevent cement from clogging in these threads. The lower shoe I of the packer 43 is provided with an upwardly extending sleeve 52 which fits within the packer and around the mandrel I3, this sleeve extending upwardly into the upper shoe. The packer is held in position shown in Figure 4 while it is being lowered into the wellby means of a shear pin 35 which serves the same purpose as the shear pin 35 in Figure 2.

The lower portion of the mandrel in Figure 4 is similar in construction to that illustrated in Figure 2, being provided with collars 36 and packing 31 as well as having openings 39 beneath the packing 31 and being connected to a valve 42 by means of shear pins 43.

'I'he operation of the tool of Figures 3 and 4 can best be explained by referring to diagrams of Figures 5, 6 and 7, and since these diagrams illustrate the principles of the invention they will also serve to some extent to clarify the operation ofthe arrangement of Figures l and 2.

As previously mentioned, the parts of the apparatus of Figures 3 and 4 are in the relative positions shown in these figures while the apparatus is being lowered into the well. When the desired location is reached, circulation of mud or water may be effected to condition the hole, this fluid flowing through the open valve 42 and around the packer and slips. After the well is conditioned, the mandrel I3 is rotated until the pins I 9 pass into the longitudinally extending portions of the J-slots I8, after which the mandrel is pulled upwardly to set the slips and packer, the parts then taking the position shown in Figure 5. It will be seen from an inspection of this figure that the collar 36 has moved up into ens gagement with the abutment on the upper end of the sleeve 52 integral with the lower shoe of the packer. This movement cannot take place until the pins 25, 35 and 43 have sheared and these pins are caused to shear because of the fact that the slips 22 have engaged the casing and constitute an abutment preventing upward movement of the wedge body 45, the threaded sleeve 46 and the upper ishoe 41 ofthe packer. As stress is placed upon the lower shoe of the packer it is expanded into engagement with the casing as shown in Figure 5 so that the apparatus is ready for the cementlng operation.

As cement is pumped downwardly through the drill pipe and mandrel I3 it flows outwardly through the bottom of the mandrel and through lthe openings 33 therein and downwardly through the valve 42. The iiuid cannot flow through the washout portsA 38 inthe sleeve* 52 at this time because these ports are sealed oil by the packing 31.

' pulling upwardly on .cupied in Figures 5 and 6 If the apparatus is being used in a'squeeae job,y the cement will be forced into the formation as it is pumped out through the valve 42 under high pressure. The casing above the cement retaining assembly will not be subjected to this fluid pressure, however, since the packer 48 will effectively seal voil and 4prevent the passage of fluid into the annular space between the drill pipe and the casing thereabove.

After the desired amount ofv cement has been forced through the cement retaining assembly the pressure at the surface may be relieved and the valve 42 will close. The drill pipe and mandrel may then be lowered so that the parts assume the relative positions shown in Figure 6 and the washing out operation may then be begun. Water or other fluid may be forced downwardly through the drill pipe and mandrel flowing out through the ports 39 and thence upwardly and outwardly through the ports 38 in the sleeve 52 and the ports 32 in the upper shoe 41 and thence upwardly around the slips as indicated by the arrows in Figure 6. This washing eut will remove any cement in the man-drei and in the other parts of the appare-tus.

The drill pipe may then be removed from the mandrel as explained in connection with Figures 1 and 2, or allowed to remain connected thereto. In either case, after the cement has hardened the cement retaining assembly may be removed from the well by pulling upwardly on the mandrel and rotatingA to the right. As

'the mandrel is rotated, the parts will bebrought into the relative position shown in Figure '7. In

'this figure it will be seen that the slips 22 'nave not moved vertically from the position they ccbody 45 has been forced downwardly due to the rotation of the sleeve 46. Before the slips are released from the casing, however, the sleeve 46 will travel upwardly during the initial part of its rotation until the upper end thereof` contacts the ring 20 and puts some tension in the links 2l. As this sleeve moves upwardly with respect` to the mandrel, the packer 48 is brought yback into its extended position as shown in Figure 'l and disengaged from the casing. When the sleeve 46 can no longer move upwardly with respect. to the mandrel the wedgebody e5 will have to move downwardly upon rotation of the sleeve 46 so as to draw the slips 22 inwardly and release the ntire assembly from the casing. The apparatus may then be removed from the well by the drill pipe.

It will be noted that in both embodiments of the invention shnwn and described a wedge body is provided beneath the slips in such a pressure exerted from below on the packer will tend to move the body upwardly to set the slips and cause them to bite into or engage the casing more rmly and that this wedge body is caused to move downwardly with respect to the slips and cause them te bite into or engage the easing more firmly and that this wedge body is caused to move downwardly with respect to the slips te disengage the same from the casing. It will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that this operation may be accomplished in various ways other than bythe means illustrated and de- 1,

scribed herein. Various `changes in this-and other features may therefore be made in the ar.

rangement without departing from the spirit of the invention er the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim: Y

1. e cement retaining assembly adapted fer but that the wedge way that anziana use in a squeeze job of l oil well cementing which includes a central mandrel, drag springsy from the packer' tc the sleeve andhence to the wedge body to engage the casing.

2. A cement retaining assembly adapted for use in a sdueeze job of oil well cementing which includes a central mandrel, drag springs on the mandrel', slips connected to the drag springs,`said slips having inclined inner surfaces, a wedge body coeacting with said slips and having inclined surfaces complementary te the inclined surfaces on the slips,- the arrangement of slips and Wedge body being such that upon upward movement of said wedge body, the slips will engage the casing of the Well, a packer located below the slips and wedge body, a sleeve mounted upon the mandrel and threaded to the wedge body, means for transmitting force from the packer to the sleeve and hence to the wedge body to engage `the casing and means for rotating said sleeve to cause the wedge body to move downwardly to cause the slips to disengage the casing.

3. In a cement. retaining assembly adapted for use in the cement-ing of an oil well, the combination of slips adapted to engage the casing of the well and resist upward movement with respect thereto, a wedge body co-acting with tlie slips l to cause the same to engage'the casing when the wedge body is moved upwardly with respect thereto, and rotary mechanism screw threaded to said wedge body for moving the same downwardly to cause the slips to disengage the casing.

4. In a cement retaining assembly adapted for use in the cementing of an oil well, the combination of two sets of slips, one set having upwardly directed teeth and the other havingdownwardly directed teeth, two wedge bodies, one associated -with each set of slips, for actuating -the slips,

means operable upon verticalrelative movement between the slips and wedge bodieswhiie maintaining the wedge bodles a ixed distance apart for setting the slips and means for drawing the wedge bodies towardv one another to release t'ne slips.

5. In a cement retaining,` assembly adapted for y use in the cementing of an oil well, the combination el' two sets of slips, one set having upwardly directed teeth and the other having downwardly directed teeth, two wedge bodies, one associated with each set of slips, for acutating the slips, means operable upon vertical relativemovement between the slips and wedge'bodies while maintaining the wedge bodies a xed distance apart for setting the slips and means for drawing the wedge bodies toward one another to release the l slips. said wedge drawing means including a` .member threaded to saidwedge bodies and having left hand threads connecting .the same to one body and right hand threads connecting the same to thecther body.. l

6. In a cement retaining assembly adaptedv for use in the cementing of an oil wel1,.the comb-ination of a 'mandreL a threaded sleeve spiined thereon, a wedge body screw threaded on said sleeve, slips connected to the wedge body and arranged to be actuated thereby, a. packer having an upper and a lower shoe mounted on the mandrel, swivel means connecting the sleeve to the upper .shoe of the packer, means for transmitting upward force exerted upon the lower shoe to the packer to set the packer and from the packer to the upper shoe and thence through said swivel means to said sleeve and wedge body to set the' slips and means for rotating the mandrel and hence the sleeve -to cause the wedge body to rel lease the slips.

' DEAN HANES. 

